Best Songs Ever #8: Iron Maiden “Flight of Icarus”

When I was a kid, I loved reading Greek mythology. It was the blueprint for comic books, which I’d already sworn my undying allegiance to.

The cautionary tale of Daedalus’ impetuous kid Icarus was one that captured my imagination early on. Daedalus made wings out of feathers and wax … and they worked! Well, kinda.

My junior high school mind was blown in 1983 when NWOBHM pummelers Iron Maiden committed the story of Icarus’ doomed flight to song for their Piece of Mind release (still my favorite Maiden album). Metal and mythology combined: it was everything awesome, all in one place.

Great heavy metal makes you physically respond to the music. Legendary heavy metal tells a great story you want to sing or yell along with. I’ve been screaming and yelling along with “Flight of Icarus” since I first heard it in 1983.